I am Hidde. I help businesses create beyond today. Using plain old smart thinking and a bit of entrepreneurial magic, I can help you sketch, prototype and test the shapes of tomorrow.
My belief is that the future isn’t a crystal ball. It's a canvas. And guess what? We're all invited as brushes. By combining design, strategy, entrepreneurship and collaboration—we can make something worth looking at.
Why the effort? Well, painting the future as a really nice shared playground, not a battleground, gets people building castles in the sky, instead of digging trenches.
My belief is that the future isn’t a crystal ball. It's a canvas. And guess what? We're all invited as brushes. By combining design, strategy, entrepreneurship and collaboration—we can make something worth looking at.
Why the effort? Well, painting the future as a really nice shared playground, not a battleground, gets people building castles in the sky, instead of digging trenches.
Background
From growing up in the sunny countryside of both Hiroshima and the north of the Netherlands, I have always been the product of multiple worlds intersecting. Through both my educational and professional background, I bring a unique blend of thinking, designing and strategising to the table.
Alongside running the startup Flip the City, I have six years of experience in freelance design, business development and entrepreneurship with clients across b2c, b2b, education, sustainability, technology, healthcare and other settings.
What I can do for you
My diverse educational and work history equips me to identify and connect broader trends, integrating deep dives into specifics with a comprehensive understanding of business, design, and strategy. As a Full Stack Designer -basically your "one-man design studio for hire" - I have expertise in entrepreneurship, product development, branding, writing, and more. I believe that designers need real-world experience launching products consistently to truly offer market value to businesses.
Why I don’t profile for niche
I believe that designers should strive to be generalists. Why? Because design is about understanding the present state (A) and creating a future (B), then drawing a path that leads us towards that desired future. This "path" can take any shape, but first and foremost it it requires synthesis and communication. This can be done with a diverse set of techniques and skills tailored to the specific context.
Why I think the future is changing the way we work
As technical skills become increasingly accessible, smaller and smaller teams are leading significant impact by launching products and building ventures. Their success stems not only from staying "on the pulse" of societal needs but also from being well-versed in a broad range of skills and knowledge across domains. At the same time, a tightening financial landscape is increasing the demand for versatile designers who can add value across multiple facets. Basically, teams that can achieve more with less resources have a competitive edge.
Philosophy to work →
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From Research to Reframing
Every project begins with research: interviews with experts, scientific literature, and tapping into the knowledge networks from both sides.
We're searching for those rare gems of understanding that can help us see not just what is, but what could be. This phase helps evaluate whether your current systems, services or products have relevance in today's context.
Systems Mapping
Vision in Product Design
Deleuzoguattarian m.
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From Reframing to Concepts
Like scientists in a lab, we brainstorm and mold ideas that reliably promise the most, choosing our battles with an eye on those greatest impact. What’s important here is that we shift focus from plausible to preferable futures.
We come together to turn these abstract possibilities to life in the form of concepts —each chosen to best embody the context of our intended future.
Scenario Planning
Value Proposition Design
Video Narratives
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From Concepts to Prototypes
We choose the concept with the greatest potential for realizing our vision. We iteratively prototype, test and refine this concept to make it as concrete and implementable as possible —even when we work with complex futures.
This stage yields the most concrete building blocks that make the fruits of our strategic direction and work truly comprehensible.
MVP & Lean Methodology
Rapid Prototyping
Crowdsourcing
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Towards Measured Impact
After developing a prototype, we test and gather insights to refine it. I want our design to succeed, so we set milestones and define practical steps, leveraging expertise and partnerships for impact.
Continuously measuring outcomes ensures we're on track, aiming for a data-informed, measured transformation without leaving you to navigate all on your own.
FMEA
Theory of Change
KPI Design
SROI